Snow, sledding & more

We had our first real big snow here (I know, those of you from Michigan are crying boo hoo for us!) so we decided to bundle the kids up and put them to work. Isaac loved helping shovel- Lo on the other hand, was not to thrilled! She was very upset that she could not hold the shovel properly through her mittened hands. Needless to say, I got to go back inside with her- oh shoot, I couldn't help shovel!
We also took the kids sledding for the first time (Isaac has only gone down a snow drift in our driveway on the top of a plastic trash lid last year). They loved it. It was a little bit too cold for them so it didn't last long but we hope to go again soon.
I also included some pictures of Lo & Isaac with Lo's Christmas present from Aunt Heather. She made Lo a ton of necklaces and bracelets and got her dress up hats, shoes, purses, etc- the best gift ever for this little girl who has been bombarded with fire trucks and baseballs and diggers and blocks- all things boy.
Okay- and I had to include a picture of my new nephew- Gavin John, born on Jan. 3rd. He's doing great, as are mommy and daddy (Julie & Jason). I have yet to see him but can't wait!

Christmas

We had a great Christmas season. It was very busy with a lot of traveling but we survived and no one was sick this year! Here are a couple of pictures from Christmas.


Lo after she realized there were no more presents for her!


The kids with their new dinosaur banks


The family on Christmas Day


Isaac & Lo posing for a Christmas picture


The kids got a trampoline for Christmas- Isaac can jump quite high!

Lo can too!

The kids with their Colorado shirts from Aunt Heather & Uncle Andrew

Christmas at the Penninsula

A dear friend invited the kids and I to the Penninsula in Chicago. They had lunch for the kids (champagne for the adults!), then story time and coloring with Mrs Claus and finally, cookie decorating! Santa came at the end and each child got to sit and talk to him. Isaac, of course, wanted a fire truck and Lo would not go anywhere near him. Mrs Claus held her pretty much the entire time. When Mrs Claus put her down (after seriously holding her for 20 minutes!) to pick up another child- she had a breakdown of disasterious proportions and we had to leave ASAP. It was very fun though (and very high class!).

Lo being held by Mrs Claus

Mrs Claus telling the kids a story

Isaac & Lo next to the lobby tree

Isaac & his girlfriend, Keelin.

The food the kids were served- I wanted to eat it- how cute!

Isaac & Santa

The kids making Christmas cookies- Lo is eating the candy that should be going on her cookie!

Decorating . . . .

The decorating table-

Stuck

So we put up our Christmas tree a few nights ago. We bought new ornaments since our other ones broke in the move to Munster. The new ornaments came in a plastic container & the kids thought it was funny to wear them on their heads. But what was funnier was when Isaac got one really stuck on his head! Check out the picture- they're hillarious!

Really, Dad, you can't get this thing off me?

Don't get to close to my ear, okay?


Pull, Dad! Pull!

Gymnastics!

The pike position . . . kind of . . .

Tada . . .

I know, I look so cute in my leotard!

What they call the "butterfly position".

Hiding from the "butterfly catcher" (aka stretching!)

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So- as you can see, the kids started gymnastics a few weeks ago. For the most part they really like it. There is not much that they do right- neither can jump very good, do a somersault, swing on the bars, etc- but they have fun and that's all that counts, right? :) It's quite a workout for me- keeping track of both of them and helping them do all the tricks. A better description would be me helping Isaac while Lo goes off to another class to see what they're doing; then me running to bring Lo back while Isaac goes off to another part of the gym to see what else he can try!

Great Grandma

My grandma came to visit this weekend with her daugthers (my aunts and mom). She's such a special lady and she has taught me so much. She knows what it means to "walk in the light" and I only hope that someday my grandkids can say the same about me. Thank you, Grandma, for being such a great witness. My kids loved spending time with her and so did I. I wish we lived closer but am thankful for every chance that I get to spend with her.

Halloween

The kids chowing down on candy after trick-or-treating.

Miss Lo the Ladybug!

Srgt. Isaac Sherwood- watch out- he's a tough one!

Aaww- they are too cute!

Nothing gets by this cop . . . . !